A SUMMER ACCESSORIES EDIT

When it's 100 degrees out, I hate going clothing shopping. Everything sticks to you, leaving you wishing you were at home on the couch wearing as little clothes as possible, doing absolutely nothing.

So my approach to summer dressing will be just that — minimal coverage with just enough accessories to look effortlessly cool. 

Shop my favorite summer finds: (from left to right, top to bottom)
1. J. Hannah Jewelry Clara Choker
2. Destin Cotton-Cashmere Bandana
3. A Peace Treaty Silk Bandana
4. Lack of Color Montana Hat
5. Komono Stella Sunglasses
6. Mejuri Grace Orbit Earrings
7. A.P.C. Sac Demi-Lune in Sable
8. J. Hannah Agnes Nail Polish
9. J. Hannah Saltillo Nail Polish
10. Mejuri Sapphire Hoops
11. Lack of Color Pink Velour Hat
12. Ray Ban Hexagonal Flat Lens Sunglasses
13. Madewell Leather Pouch
14. Paco Rabanne 14#01 Mini Bucket Bag 
15. Karen Walker Babou Sunglasses

WEEKEND STATEMENT PIECES WITH POSHSQUARE

While I enjoy having a busy schedule, I love using my free time during the weekend to grab food with friends, catch up (read: binge watch) shows, and maybe even drive down to Palm Springs. Given that my weekdays get so hectic, Saturday and Sunday often end up being the only days I wear something besides jeans and a t-shirt. I still prioritize comfort and simplicity, but brunch and dinner plans provide an excuse to show that I own more than two articles of clothing. I recently added some pieces from Poshsquare's Spring/Summer collection to the mix, one of them being this trumpet-sleeved top.

To be frank, I've never been one to "follow trends." When someone tells me "ruffles are in," or "off the shoulder tops are big," I am usually unaffected, only purchasing pieces I love and can see myself wearing for a long time. I think statement sleeves were a trend that I never acted on when they were big (pun intended) and now I've finally hopped on the band wagon, roughly 9 months later. 

I love this top because it's slightly dramatic, while also being simple enough to wear out to casual events. I originally contemplated wearing it with my favorite vintage Levi's, but settled on black jeans and my new Zara block heels (my current obsession) for a more put-together look.  

This is essentially your classic white-button-up-and-jeans look, but with a modern twist thanks to billowing sleeves and a playful silhouette. Just as well — I've never been the biggest fan of button ups (they look awkward on me), and this piece strikes the perfect balance between comfy and dressy, timeless and modern.

Photography | Mire Yang
Top | Poshsquare
Jeans | Madewell
Shoes | Zara

This post was sponsored by Poshsquare.

SAME BUT DIFFERENT

The last two people I've met from Instagram have told me that I'm taller in person than they expected me to be. This makes me happy, but also causes me to wonder if everyone who knows of me via the internet thinks I'm 5'1". I know I shouldn't complain. I'm 5'7", which is taller than average, but this does mean that I need to start taking my photos from lower angles. After a couple months of doing that I'll probably have people from Instagram say I'm so much shorter than they thought I would be. You can never win.

In the Summer and Fall of 2015, I took a semester off of school to focus on my well-being and spend time doing things I had never allowed myself to do. Without any academic responsibilities, I was free to spend a period of about 10 months doing whatever I wanted. I've always liked working, so I got a part-time job, but for the most part my days were spent exploring the city, eating good food, enjoying quality time with family, and meeting people off of the internet. I had always been somewhat introverted — I never had many friends and I tended to keep to myself rather than engage in social activities. But meeting people off of Instagram was an opportunity to make friends with similar interests and learn more about the industry that I had always been interested in, but never given myself the chance to delve into.

When I returned to school the following Spring of 2016, I took on a full schedule of classes, work, and content creation, leaving little time to meet up with people as I had during my semester off. Fast forward a year to Spring 2017, and I've met only a few new people in the past 12 months. I'm so busy every single day, going nonstop from sunup to sundown, that my own creative career has taken somewhat of a backseat. Thinking about what I want to accomplish this year, and where I want to be in the next 5, 10, 15 years, I decided that I need to be more proactive about my creative goals. I want to meet more talented people, collaborate with more incredible brands, and learn more about the industry. I was so happy when I got to meet Mire, an extremely gifted photographer based in Downtown Los Angeles, for coffee and a quick photo session. Even though our aesthetics are a bit different we were able to work together to produce some amazing content. 

After getting to know each other and discussing our creative goals we set off to shoot some photos around the Arts District. Instead of sticking to the usual white wall backgrounds I tend toward, we found a cool grid wall, as well as a multicolor steel fence. My outfits may stay the same (Blue jeans, black shirt, black boots. Same old, same old), but I'm committed to learning, growing, and improving my work. I don't want to get stuck in a minimalist rut where I'm scared to post anything without a plain background. I want to try new things, be inspired,  experiment without fear of failure. 

Photography | Mire Yang (@stripescollide)
Turtleneck | Urban Outfitters
Necklace | J. Hannah Jewelry
Jeans | Madewell (similar here)
Shoes | Jeffrey Campbell (similar here)
 

GIFT GUIDE: FOR HER

Last week I posted a "GIFT GUIDE: FOR HIM."  So naturally, here's a GIFT GUIDE: FOR HER, with everything from PJ's and candles, to fine jewelry artisanal chocolates.

*from top to bottom, left to right*
Apolis Market Bag | For that girl who goes to the Farmers' Market every week to get kale for her juice cleanses.
Elizabeth & James Nirvana Black Candle | For that girl whose apartment always smells like 50 candles are burning simultaneously when you walk in the door.
Binchotan Eye Mask | For that girl who keeps up her beauty regime even when she's on a plane.
Vintage Pajama Set | For that girl who never seems to have any clothes on when you sleep over.
COS Cashmere Trousers | For that girl who thinks "sweats" are beneath her.
Gabriela Artigas Mini Tusk and Diamond Earrings | For that girl who has all of the pretty piercings you're jealous of.
S'well Yellow Gold Bottle | For that girl who has impeccable skin because she drinks 500 gallons of water a day.
Bodum French Press | For that girl who probably spends more money on coffee each month than everything else combined.
J. Hannah Jewelry Athena Ring | For that girl who could be a hand model.
COS Wool-Cashmere Scarf | For that girl who's always complaining about how cold it is, when it's only 75º.
Madewell Lace-Up Hoodie Sweater | For that girl who wants to be comfy but refuses to wear loungewear.
Compartes Chocolate Bar Gift Set | For that girl who always asks you to come over and bring chocolate and wine when she's on her period.
Zara Leather Ankle Boots | For that girl who wants to live in New York.
Zara Beaded Bucket Bag | For that girl who started stressing out about what to wear on NYE in November.
2017 Wall Calendar | For that girl who never remembers the plans she's made.

CROP IT LIKE IT'S HOT

NWFY is underway, LA nights are in the 70s (rather than the 80s), and every grocery store is displaying magazines with massive "fall baking" spreads. This can only mean one thing — Fall fashion is here, and we all have to find some way to make our summer pieces work for this colder season. I recently purchased a pair of cropped released hem wide leg jeans from Madewell (my go-to shop for everything, especially denim). Though just a new addition to my wardrobe, this piece is easily one of my favorites. It combines two HUGE trends from this summer — released hem jeans AND culottes. I'm all about efficiency and multitasking. 

As incredible as these jeans are, one of the first thoughts that popped into my mind when I bought them was: "How on Earth am I going to wear these for Fall??"

Very few people, especially college students, have the financial capability to purchase entirely new wardrobes each season. Most of us have to be resourceful and think about how we can translate what we think of as season-specific trends into outfits that work for seemingly opposite seasons. When someone says "Fall fashion," is the first thing that comes to mind a pair of cropped jeans? Probably not. Fall and Winter denim tends to be of a darker wash, and longer in length. This doesn't mean that we can't utilize styling tricks to make that cropped pair work, though! 

Before we get into the specifics of how I styled this look, let's cover some general guidelines for making Spring/Summer pieces work for Fall/Winter!

• summer dresses — layers and boots. Tuck a turtleneck underneath a strappy floral dress, or throw on a wool blazer. Add your favorite pair of boots! 
• silky slip camis — throw it over a long-sleeve knit dress or oversized sweater. Add a moto jacket and some mules.
• lacy bralettes — underwear as outerwear. Wear that bralette over a ribbed knit tee, with slick cigarette pants and a duster coat. 
• cutoff shorts — add leg coverage with some thigh-high boots. Wear a huge chunky knit cardigan over a vintage tee. 

This list obviously doesn't cover everything, but hopefully it gives you an idea of how to style other warm-weather pieces. The key points are to add layers, and to accessorize. Obviously the look pictured here doesn't scream "Fall," but that's because it's still 85º during the day and I wasn't too stoked on the idea of lugging a wool coat around. To take these released hem babies from Summer to Fall, I switched out my usual casual tee for a slightly dressier deep v-neck top, and changed out of my beat-up Stan Smiths in favor of forest green suede heels. 

A slightly dressier top suggests a more formal look, compared to what we might get from a t-shirt and jeans outfit. And suede is always great for fall, especially when in a darker color. These dark green pointed toe heels are one of my favorite pairs — they're extremely comfortable, the perfect shade of green, and not too tall. With these jeans, there are so many beautiful details around the ankle (or rather, the hem, which falls at the calf). We wouldn't want to muddle that beautiful coloring or delicate fraying by wearing a clunky boot.

While I wait for temperatures to drop enough to the point where it will be bearable to wear some of my new coats and sweaters, I'll stick to looks that are somewhere between Summer and Fall. This denim favorite will stay at the forefront of my wardrobe, because no one should have to pack away their favorite pieces every time a new season rolls around!

Top - similar here | Jeans - Madewell | Shoes - similar here | Sunnies - Celine